Monday, 19 October 2009

During this period when I have little time to spare for blogging I thought I would re-run one or two of my older posts. I began back in July 2008 and my second post explained how I got the name "Strawberry Jam Anne". So for those of you who haven't already read it, here it is again.

"Ladies who Lunch (occasionally)"

Today I had lunch with two of my closest friends (emotionally, not geographically). We are all 60 something and have known each other for more than 30 years. We have, over time, had many lunches, suppers, days out etc, laughed a lot and lent shoulders and cried on many and varied occasions. I believe today was the first time we have all been together socially for at least 2 years. I have seen them both separately and two of us visited our mutual friend when she was in hospital for several weeks last summer. In spite of the infrequent meetings, we find, as with all good friendships, that we just pick up where we left off. Just natter away and catch up on family and mutual friends' news.

I waved cheerio to OH and went off to pick up friend D who lives just down the road and drove the 10 miles to the next town to collect friend H and then on to our chosen venue. And 3 hours later did it all in reverse and came back home to OH. All very simple but extremely pleasant and enjoyable. We should do it more often.

Before I retired I worked with a "girl" (she is 20 years my junior) who has also become a very close friend, we have said on many occasions that we are more like sisters. We have known each other for 26 years and we too have had our share of laughter and tears. At work it was mostly laughter and she was probably the reason why I didn't retire sooner. She was the first person I told of my decision to finish work and I wept with her on my last day. I didn't have to promise to "keep in touch" with her, (nor with any of my close ex-colleagues as we had such fun together - a great privilege for me) we both knew that we would, and now, about once a fortnight, I contact her and we "do lunch". It is only for 45 minutes as that is her lunch break but it gives us some time to share some laughs once again. Once in a while I join the "pay day Friday curry night" which has been going for the last 4 or 5 years, though sometimes now it falls on a Wednesday or Thursday!

Another friend - also an ex-colleague - I have known for 20 years and when I first got to know her, she worked part time as she had two small daughters. She is a lovely girl with a beautiful face and smile and in all the time I have known her I have never heard her say a harsh word about anyone. She also is a friend with whom I have laughed lots and shed tears.

About 15 years ago, at a time when my mother happened to be staying with us, one Tuesday when I arrived home from work my mother told me that "a very strange thing happened today"! She had been sitting quietly after lunch when she heard the front door bell. On the door step she was confronted by two small girls who asked for me. "I'm afraid she's still at work" said my mother, "can I help you"? "Please have you got any strawberry jam" enquired the girls and my mother, very perplexed, went immediately to look. Unfortunately the cupboard was bare of any jam that day, strawberry or otherwise, she returned to report the same to them and off they went.

"I've no idea who they were" said Mum, "but they did ask for you". Well I didn't exactly have a sleepless night over it as I had an inkling as to who this pair might be. On arriving at work next day all was revealed. My friend (with the two daughters) came in laughing and between us we relived the events of the previous afternoon. She had been making a sponge cake and suddenly realised that she had no jam for it. She dispatched her girls off to the local shop to buy some but as it was a Tuesday afternoon it was early closing. The elder of the girls remembered that I lived just up the road and knew that I made cakes so decided I was the next best bet. Sadly they were unlucky at mine but their mummy saved the day and drove to the supermarket, so all ended well. Ever since then, when my friend has mentioned the name "Anne" the girls ask "do you mean Strawberry Jam Anne"? (my friend has a sister Anne). I love it and decided on it for my blog name.

The two little girls are now grown up of course, one has a law degree and the other is a qualified midwife and they are both as lovely as their mother. Last year when the eldest graduated I sent a text via my friend saying "congratulations, well done, with love from Strawberry Jam Anne", which made them laugh and cry!

Thursday, 15 October 2009

All is quiet here! I'm all alone as OH has gone off for a few days on the golf course. Most of the work on our new home is now done and I am sitting here, patiently awaiting delivery of our new kitchen, promised for today. Our kitchen fitter has said it will take him a week to complete but when I rang yesterday he informed me that he is not too sure when he can start as the job he is on is taking longer than anticipated! He has had at least 2 weeks' notice of the delivery date so I am none too pleased and I shall be having words with him later! We were hoping to be moving in here in about 10 days' time but it looks as though that will have to be put back again.

However, on a more positive side, I have finally found time to visit a few blogs and find out what has been going on over the past weeks.

So please keep watching this space. I will, hopefully, be giving more regular updates from now on!